Lubricator for internal combustion engines



May 26, 1931. S. D. ROSS ET AL LUBRICATOR FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Jan. 18, 1928 $)'2112/ /v D. R055 Char/es E Edwards Patented May 26, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

STANLEY D. ROSS AND CHARLES E. EDWARDS, 0F VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA,

CANADA LUBRICATOR FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Application filed January 18, 1828. Serial No. 247,735.

This invention relates to a lubricating device for internal combustion engines and is designed primarily for the lubrication of the cylinder heads, pistons and valve heads of such engines.

The method of lubrication consists of the direct introduction into the fuel intake passage or manifold, of the lubricant in a finely divided vesicular state which is produced by drawing the lubricating oil from a container or vessel, mounted conveniently to the engine, by means of a pipe connecting the manifold and the container.

The oil is caused to spray or assume the vesicular state by means of air admitted to its under surfaces in the container, and which is drawn through the oil in the form of bubbles until it reaches the free surface over a restricted area enclosed in a tube of glass or other material, the top of which is subjected to a negative pressure or suction by its connectionto a pipe leading to the fuel intake manifold.

The result of this suction is that the oil leaves the free surface just described and proceeds to climb up the sides of the tube in the form of bubbles, which break and fall down when they reach the top of the tube forming a film over the upper internal surface of the tube and exposing a large oil surface to the passage of the air.

The spray or vesicular mixture of oil and air is then swept into the fuel intake pipe and thus reaches the combustion chambers, piston heads and valves where it is deposited. The action is independent of the level of the free oil surface in the container and is just as efficient whether the container is full or nearly empty. It thus differs materially from the action of oil vesicles rising from a free surface which is not restricted in area, such as would be the case if the internal tube were removed from the container.

In this case the oil bubbles or vesicles have only a limited lift or vertical movement before they break and fall back on the surface of the oil, and consequently the container must be kept full or nearly full for effective operation.

It is also to be noted that there are no me chani'cal moving parts in the device except the check valve and that in consequence there is no possibility of uncertainty of behaviour in operation due to wear of pivots, pins or rubbing surfaces.

The invention is more clearly described by the aid of the drawings which form part of this application, in which; 7 p

Fig-1 represents a cross section through the oil container showing the air inlet and oil vapour outlet, and the internal tuberestricting the area of the free oil surface acted upon by the air. s

Fig. 2 is a side view of the container. Fig. 3 is a plan View of the container.

Fig. 4 is a partial sectional plan showing the base connection between the air inlet pipe;

andthe internal tube, and the way in which the oil is admitted to the latter by small apertures and channels in the base.

Referring to these figures 5 showsthe base of the oil container and 6 the cover or cap. These are separated by the glass cylinder? and are connected by the bolt 8, an oil-tight joint being made at both ends of the glass by suitable packings. The oil is introduced into.

this container through apertures closed by caps 9. r

Air is admitted through the adjustable needle valve 10 provided with lock. nut 11,

and Working in the sleevel2 which screws into the cover 6 and which fits over the top of the air inlet pipe 13. The air passes down through the tube 13 through the fitting 1 4 into the base 15 into which the internal tube 16 fits, the upper end of said tube being held and centred by extensions or prongs on the plug 17, which, while bearing on top of the tube and forcing it down upon the packing washer at its lower end, allow air to pass pressure The object of the valve 20 is to control the amount of oil vapour allowed to pass into the combustion chambers, and the object of the needle valve 10 is to adjust the amount of air admitted to the container.

The oil is admitted to the tube 16 through small apertures 22 in the base of the fitting 15, the air being admitted from the fitting 14 by way of the passage 23.

The device is secured in convenient position by means of the lugs 24 cast on the cover 6.

The operation of the device is as follows: Lubricating oil is introduced into the container 7 through the apertures closed by the caps 9, and the pipe 16 is connected to the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine. The usual intermittent vacuum condition existing within the manifold when the engine is running causes a stream of air to enter the container through the needle valve 10 and to ascend the column of lubrieating oil in the tube 16 in the form of small air bubbles. The bubbles continue to move up the tube 16 beyond the oil surface therein taking as their path the inner surface of the tube, on reaching the upper portion of which they burst, thereby producing an oleaginous vapour which is drawn through the pipe 16 by the vacuum condition above referred to into the combustion chamber of the engine where it is available to lubricate all the adjacent surfaces.

Having now fully described our invention, what we claim and desire to be protected in by Letters Patent is:

In a lubricator of the character described, a container for oil, a U-tube within said container, one end of which is in communication with the atmosphere through a restricted passage while the other end of said U-tube is in communicaiton with the interior of said container above the oil level, an outlet from the interior of said container above the oil level adapted for connection with the intake manifold of an engine, and means at the bottom of said Utube to admit oil into that leg thereof which has its end in communication with the interior of said container, that leg of the U-tube which communicates with the interior of the container being of greater cross section than the other leg, the passage from one leg to the other being of less cross sectional area than the cross sectional area of either leg.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures.

STANLEY D. ROSS. CHARLES F. EDWARDS. 

